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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

Cris_Meyers reluctant author, willing misanthrope from Chicagoland (Fifth Year at Tropey's) Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
reluctant author, willing misanthrope
#260876: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:05:01 PM

They're the designations for individual House districts. IL-6 is the 6th District of the state of Illinois.

Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#260877: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:10:55 PM

OK, I'm seeing conflicting reports that Rosenstein is out as well. Can someone confirm?

"Yup. That tasted purple."
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#260878: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:12:39 PM

According to my college teacher, the way mail-in ballots in Arizona work is that they're counted last if the difference is narrow enough that they might make up the difference, which basically just means they're counted last since it would take an absurd squash for them not to be counted. Mc Sally might still have the edge, but there's a ton of mail-in votes yet to be counted, so Sinema still has a chance.

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#260879: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:16:08 PM

They're the designations for individual House districts. IL-6 is the 6th District of the state of Illinois.
What's the point of such districting?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#260881: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:18:52 PM

@Deadbeat, CNN is only reporting that he's going to the White House today.

[up][nja]

[up][up]The districts are there so that all given localities have a voice in the federal government (as opposed to the Senators, who speak for entire states). Granted, the issue is muddied because of gerrymandering, but the concept is sound. In theory each district has a similar population, but that's a difficult science even when it isn't tainted by political interference.

Edited by Rationalinsanity on Nov 7th 2018 at 5:20:44 AM

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#260882: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:18:53 PM

[up][up][up]It's for representation by population, rather than geographic borders.

Edited by TheRoguePenguin on Nov 7th 2018 at 1:19:05 AM

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#260883: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:18:59 PM

Unlike the Senate the number of representatives each State sends to the house is dependent on their population.

The districts are a way to divide that population up into voting blocks. [nja]

Edited by LeGarcon on Nov 7th 2018 at 4:21:07 AM

Oh really when?
Ludlow Since: Apr, 2013
#260884: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:19:24 PM

I do have a question for everyone here: is it even possible for Democrats to take the Senate in 2020? I keep hearing that the Republicans have a built-in advantage in Senate seat because of their overwhelming support among rural voters. If that's the case, a Democratic Trifecta might not be possible for at least a few decades. Which means our best option is to keep the federal government deadlocked by maintaining a house majority and winning as many presidential elections as possible.

Edited by Ludlow on Nov 7th 2018 at 1:22:11 AM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#260885: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:20:48 PM

The advantage under rural voters has a big asterisk to it.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
MrHellboy The Shadow from A world of my own Since: Dec, 2017 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
The Shadow
#260886: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:21:14 PM

I wouldn't think they'd be able to take the Senate till 2020

The hardest thing in this world is to live in it.
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#260887: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:21:57 PM

Btw, Gillum might have conceded too soon...he is now only 0.6% away and considering all the strange events with the voting machines….

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#260889: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:22:36 PM

" I was watching MSNBC just now, and they had a guy who worked with Mueller for years who said he always has a contingency plan."

So Batman has been real this whole time?

danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#260890: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:23:59 PM

Is there legal precedent for when a candidate concedes only for the final votes to be counted and it turns out they won? Does the concession still hold and the loser wins? Or is it rendered moot?

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#260891: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:24:28 PM

Nanannananananananaanana

Mueller

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Nov 7th 2018 at 1:25:52 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#260892: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:25:32 PM

Hmmm... I doubt history books will be all that backward in painting Trump's move to bung Whitaker in Sessions' suddenly old job as anything but an incriminating move.

The White House must know that, right? <sighs>

[up]So, Rosenstein is Robin? wink

Edited by Euodiachloris on Nov 7th 2018 at 9:28:42 AM

MarqFJA The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer from Deserts of the Middle East (Before Recorded History) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
#260893: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:28:28 PM

So let me make sure I got it right:

  1. Each state's population is divided into a number of districts, the exact number varying from one state to another. (Is there a specific "formula" for how the number is decided? And does it take into account the possibility that variations in population growth could very well lead to any two randomyl chosen states switching places in which one has the greater population over several decades / a century?)

  2. Each state's number of House Representatives is equal to the number of districts, with each individual Representative hailing from and/or representing that district.

  3. The entirety of the state's voting population votes on each Representative that is up for election, regardless of whether or not the voter is in that Rep's district.

Am I right so far?

Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#260894: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:28:54 PM

It's absolutely possible for the Democrats to take the Senate in 2020. The reason Yesterday was so rigged against them was because there were lots of Democrat up for re-election, but hardly any Republicans, so there weren't many opportunities to pick up seats, but lots to lose seats.

That particular pendulum is going to swing the opposite way in 2020. Yesterday was bad enough that it'll be a battle, but it absolutely can be done.

Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#260895: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:29:03 PM

Chuck Schumer has already called for Whitaker to recuse himself based on remarks he made in the past about the Mueller investigation.

We all know that he won't, but the point is well-made.

Cris_Meyers reluctant author, willing misanthrope from Chicagoland (Fifth Year at Tropey's) Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
reluctant author, willing misanthrope
#260896: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:31:38 PM

What's the point of such districting?

Like Le Garcon and The Rogue Penguin said: to divide the states up because the number of House members is based on population rather than a flat 2 per state like the Senate.

This is also where gerrymandering comes in. Since the local state governments get to draw these districts, they usually try to draw them in a way that helps them the most while hurting the other party as much as they can get away with.

So let me make sure I got it right:

1 Each state's population is divided into a number of districts, the exact number varying from one state to another. (Is there a specific "formula" for how the number is decided? And does it take into account the possibility that variations in population growth could very well lead to any two randomyl chosen states switching places in which one has the greater population over several decades / a century?)

2 Each state's number of House Representatives is equal to the number of districts, with each individual Representative hailing from and/or representing that district.

3 The entirety of the state's voting population votes on each Representative that is up for election, regardless of whether or not the voter is in that Rep's district.

Am I right so far?

Right on 1 and 2, not on 3. Only the people in the district vote for that representative. So only the people that live in Illinois 6 (to continue beating my example into the ground) vote on the Representative for that district. However everyone in the state votes on the Senator.

I believe there is a formula for calculating how many Reps a state gets, but I can't remember what it was.

Edited by Cris_Meyers on Nov 7th 2018 at 3:32:12 AM

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#260897: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:34:42 PM

[up]

[nja]

But aside from that, the intent (ostensibly) of having regional Districts is to have those particular House members present bills that their particular constituents would appreciate having passed. Just look at the Upstate/Downstate/Western divide in New York for just how weird that can get.

Edited by ironballs16 on Nov 7th 2018 at 4:36:42 AM

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
Ludlow Since: Apr, 2013
#260898: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:35:00 PM

@Marq FJA Everything but number 3 is right. Only people within a congressional district can for its house representative. The Senate seats are where everyone votes.

Edited by Ludlow on Nov 7th 2018 at 1:36:03 AM

danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#260899: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:36:13 PM

The total number of voting reps is fixed at 435. That number is divvied up to the states based on population, with each state guaranteed at least 1 rep. I believe the Constitution states no more than 1 rep per 30,000.

RainehDaze Nero Fangirl (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
Nero Fangirl
#260900: Nov 7th 2018 at 1:36:46 PM

Now, the fact districts are identified purely by number has probably not helped with gerrymandering.


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